Judges

Geoff Brown

Association of University Chief Security Officers (AUCSO)

Geoff joined West Yorkshire Police in 1982 and gained specialist skills and qualifications within Road Policing, before transferring into the Firearms Support Unit where he qualified as an Intervention Officer, a Close Protection Officer and a Tactical Advisor.

Graeme Brown

British Security Industry Association (BSIA)

A former Royal Marine, Graeme has over 30 years’ experience in the security sector.  Specialising in counter terrorism and intelligence, he has worked closely with various Government and private sector organisations.

Alan Cain

National Association for Healthcare Security (NAHS)

Alan Cain is the Vice Chair for the National Association for Healthcare Security. He is he Resilience Manager working for NHS Greater Manchester Integrated Care, where he is responsible for the provision of specialist support in relation to Emergency Preparedness, Resilience and Response (EPRR).

Frank Cannon

The Security Institute (Syl)

Frank is a Board Director and Deputy Chair of the Security Institute with an altruistic endeavour to protect people, property, and information from adversarial attack. He is a self-professed security pracademic, blending his academic knowledge with its practical application.

Darren Carter

ASIS UK

Darren’s career spans 25 years within the security industry, 21 years of which have been within the hospitality sector.  Having held several senior management positions with major hotel chains, Darren is now in his 17th year as Group Director of Security & Safety for Edwardian Hotels London.

Oliver Curran

Security Commonwealth (SyCOM)

Oliver Curran BSc (Hons) has worked in the Security Industry for over 26 years, initially as a contract Security Officer in the corporate sector but for the last 14 years as an In-House Security Manager at University College London (UCL). UCL has a student population of over 52,000 students in over 250 buildings, with a Security workforce of over 280 personnel. 

Mark Death

International Professional Security Association (IPSA)

Mark Heads up the Physical Security department within Group Risk & Compliance for a large Sports Betting, Gaming & Entertainment company which has over 16,000 employees & 40+ Corporate Locations globally.

Jason Dewar

The Defence Industry Security Association (DISA)

Jason is a Senior Manager at Accenture UK where he leads the ‘Cyber Strategy and Organisation’ consulting practice. Additionally, Jason leads Accenture’s NCSC Assured Cyber Security Consultancy (ACSC)  services team, and as such is a member of the NCSC Head Consultant community.

Letitia Emeana

ASIS UK

Letitia Emeana has been active in security since 2001.  She qualified with her ASIS PSP in December 2007, IT Governance CISMP 2014 and ASIS CPP in 2017.  Letitia is a multi-disciplinary security professional and leader with significant experience in Security Design, Security Technology and Security Implementation. Letitia is the Global Security Capability Manager at Unilever and held previous Leadership positions at Tesla, Amazon and Lloyds Banking Group.

Richard Fogelman

National Security Inspectorate (NSI)

Richard Fogelman became Chief Executive of NSI in March 2023. Prior to joining NSI Richard spent almost a decade as CEO of a leading national charity supporting bereaved young people.  He has a law degree and over 15 years’ management experience having worked in London’s financial markets at numerous banks and financial firms.

Paul Fullwood

Security Industry Authority (SIA)

Paul was appointed as the interim Director for Inspections and Enforcement of the SIA on 17th May 2021. Paul joined the SIA after a 33-year career with the Police Service and previously HM Armed Forces. Paul retired from policing in 2020 as Assistant Chief Constable for Bedfordshire Police, Cambridgeshire and Hertfordshire Constabularies with responsibility for major crime, armed policing, counter terrorism, roads policing, scientific services, civil contingencies, dogs and public order specialist services.

Yolanda Hamblen

International Foundation for Protection Officers (IFPO UK)

Yolanda is a Senior Security Leadership professional with 15 years’ experience in several security leadership roles across Physical and Cyber Security, all underpinned by 7 years in the Police Force with five of those in a Detective role. A long way from that first career as an International DJ in the 90’s, which when in the UK stretched to local radio.

Paul Harvey

Terrorist Information New York Group (TINYg)

Paul Harvey is an experienced counterterrorism, risk, security and business leadership professional with 30 years Board experience in stock market listed, private equity backed and privately owned businesses.

Ross Harvey

Association of Security Consultants (ASC)

Ross Harvey CMgr FCMI F.ISRM CSMP® MIET MSyl CTSP M.IPSA RISC is a highly dedicated professional with an impressive 23-year career in the security industry. His passion for engineering and helping others led him to excel in security engineering, safeguarding people, assets, and information. 

Mike Hurst

International Foundation for Protection Officers (IFPO UK)

Mike Hurst CPP® CPOI has been active in the Security and Fire Sector for over 30 years and is Director of executive recruiters HJA Consult.  Through his professional and volunteer leadership experience, he has developed an excellent international network of senior security professionals.

Paul Jeffrey

Perimeter Security Suppliers Association (PSSA)

Paul was appointed as the interim Director for Inspections and Enforcement of the SIA on 17th May 2021. Paul joined the SIA after a 33-year career with the Police Service and previously HM Armed Forces. Paul retired from policing in 2020 as Assistant Chief Constable for Bedfordshire Police, Cambridgeshire and Hertfordshire Constabularies with responsibility for major crime, armed policing, counter terrorism, roads policing, scientific services, civil contingencies, dogs and public order specialist services.

Philip W Jones

Eastern Cross-sector Security and Communications (CSSC)

Early in his career, Philip Jones served as a police officer with the Wiltshire Constabulary (4 years) and as a commissioned officer in the RAF, Provost & Security Services (21 years).

Jayne King

Security Commonwealth (SyCom)

Jayne King joined the NHS in 1991 and has extensive experience in managing both in house and outsourced Healthcare Security Services. She is the Head of Security and Site Services at Guy’s & St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust in London, which is one of the largest and oldest hospitals in the UK. 

Guy Mathias

Food and Drink Security Association (FDSA)

Guy is a subject matter expert on Extremism and a former recipient of the prestigious “UK Security Manager of the Year Award for Services to Industry” He directed counter extremist operations for the Research & Pharmaceutical sector, during an unprecedented campaign of public order threat, violence & intimidation, notably as Chair of The UK Pharmaceutical Industry Security Forum, leading on strategies for security, staff protection and pre-employment screening.

Iain McCallister

British Security Industry Association (BSIA) 

CEO of Midlands-based security specialists MAN Commercial Protection Ltd Iain McCallister’s industry experience is vast; he started working as a doorman at the age of 16, whilst pursuing his professional boxing career. MAN Commercial Protection was founded in 1993, and now employs 1600 people throughout the UK.

Ross McDermott

Eastern Cross-sector Security and Communications (CSSC)

After a 14 year career within the UK Police Service which endowed Ross with experience within Uniformed Operations and as a Senior Detective. He developed specialist skills in Public Order / Public Safety Command, Counter Terrorism Security Co-ordination (CTSecCo), as well as a Hostage and Crisis Negotiator, co-ordinator and trainer of this discipline.

Darren Miller

Aerospace, Defence and Security (ADS)

Darren joined ADS after 30 years’ service in Hampshire Constabulary. He previously held roles as an experienced Tactical Firearms Commander and Public Order and Public Safety Commander, planning and delivering various operations including music events, sporting events, protests and other policing operations.

Don Oakley

National Security Inspectorate (NSI)

Don has over 35 years’ experience in the commercial insurance and risk management sector prior to joining NSI in 2020.  At the Inspectorate, Don’s responsibilities include liaising with government, specifiers, stakeholders and buyers in promoting the value of third party certification and its role in verifying competence.

Barry Palmer

Terrorist Information New York Group (TINYg)

Barry Palmer BEM is Chairman of UK Advisory Council and part of the Terrorism Information Networking Group (TINYg).

He has 32 years of senior security management experience within hospitality, the NHS, media and cultural sector.

Simon Pears

International Professional Security Association (IPSA)

Simon Pears became a Chartered Security Professional (CSyP) in 2013 and is the Chair of the International Professional Security Association (IPSA) which he was elected to in 2020 having served on their board since 2011.

Paul Phillips

Security Systems and Alarms Inspection Board (SSAIB)

Having trained as an electronics engineer, Paul worked for security equipment manufacturers from 1994 until joining BSIA in 2009, later becoming Technical Manager. He gained an MSc in Security and Risk Management in 2006.

Don Randall MBE

The Register of Chartered Security Professionals (CSyP) / City of London Crime Prevention Association (CoLCPA)

Don Randall served with the City of London Police from 1969-1995, with specific emphasis on fraud and counter terrorism.  Following 13 years at JPMorgan Chase as Managing Director, he joined the Bank of England in 2008 and was appointed the Bank’s first Chief Information Security Officer in 2013.

Roger Ringham

National Association for Healthcare Security (NAHS)

Roger is Chair of the National Association for Healthcare Security (NAHS). He is a Board Director of NAHS Limited (Companies House registration 13242341), and Chair of the South West Region Security Management Group (SWSMG).

Ruth Ripley

Women’s Security Society (WSS)

Ruth is a dedicated security professional with a passion for promoting gender diversity and inclusivity in the industry. With a background in teaching Religious Education, Ethics, and Philosophy, Ruth began her career in education before transitioning to security. She has served as the UK Event Security Manager for the Walt Disney Company on behalf of Wilson James and is currently making significant contributions as the Event Security Contract Manager for the Southbank Centre on behalf of Carlisle Support Services.

Michelle Russell

Security Industry Authority (SIA)

Michelle joined the SIA as Director of Partnership and Interventions in January 2020, leading the criminal enforcement and regulatory inspection functions. She was appointed as the Chief Executive of the SIA in October 2020. She has over 25 years’ experience of working in regulation and regulatory environments in both the public and private sectors.

David Scott

Skills for Security

David’s passion lies in the development and improvement of training within the fire and security industry. As a past apprentice himself, he is driven by his love for the industry that provided him with so many opportunities to grow and develop.

Sarb Sembhi

Information Systems Audit and Control Association (ISACA)

Sarb is the CTO & CISO at Virtually Informed, and has previously been a CTO & CISO for the Noord Group. He has previous worked as a consultant covering most issues in risk and security. Sarb’s contributions to the industry include the London Chamber of Commerce and Industry Defence and Security Committee and its Cybersecurity working group.

Emma Shaw, MBA, CSyP, FSyl 

The Defence Industry Security Association (DISA)

Emma is the founder and Managing Director of Esoteric Ltd, a well-established Electronic Bug Sweeping, Counter-Espionage and Intelligence gathering company based in Surrey, UK.  An MBA graduate, and a Chartered Security Professional (CSyP) Emma’s early career was spent with the Royal Military Police, followed by a career in the Ministry of Defence.

Gary Thomas

Association of Security Consultants (ASC)

Gary Thomas has 35 years’ experience working in the security industry, beginning his career as an alarm installer, and progressing organically over the years to where he now specialises as an independent security consultant.

Gary is a full member of the Security Institute, the Institution of Engineering and Technology and ASIS, and has served as on the Board of the Association of Security Consultants since 2018.

Lynn Watts-Plumpkin

Security Systems and Alarms Inspection Board (SSAIB)

Lynn has worked in the security industry for 40 years and has vast experience across all security services sectors, including contract and in house security and is a Fellow of the International Institute of Risk and Safety Managers. 

Anas Wihaib

Women’s Security Society (WSS)

Anas Wihaib is a security professional with a wealth of experience in public-private partnerships, business continuity, and corporate resilience. While originally planning to become a Scenes of Crime Officer, Anas discovered a passion for the private security industry and went on to complete a Master’s Programme focusing on the impact of business crime across UK retailers. This marked the beginning of her career in security partnership.

Andy Williams

Terrorist Information New York Group (TINYg)

Andy Williams JP FRSA FSyI F.ISRM is Deputy Group Chairman and Director of TINYg, the international counter terrorism information sharing network. 

Now in his fifth decade in law enforcement and security management, Andy spends a large proportion of time volunteering as a security profession mentor and as a magistrate.

Geoff Zeidler

Police and Security Group (PaS)

Geoff Zeidler studied Engineering at Cambridge and then worked in strategic consulting at Bain & Co, and Investment Banking at Robert Fleming & Co where he ran the Defence, Industry and Technology team.  In 1997 he joined Spirent plc as the Director of Business Development to lead transformation into a TeleComs group through acquisitions; and then ran the Europe and Wireless Divisions.